Is N.C. ready for transporation growth?

There are currently 9 million people living in North Carolina. By 2030, the population is expected to grow to 12 million, making North Carolina the seventh-most populated state in the nation. This growth brings many opportunities, but it begs the question: Are we ready?

In trying to answer this question, it is necessary to look at our state’s transportation system and its vital role in economic development, daily commerce and quality of life. Vehicle miles traveled in North Carolina now top 100 billion per year and are projected to increase by 45 percent by 2030, adding immense pressure to the already-strained system. Additionally, the state’s airports, railways and ports need to be able to facilitate North Carolina’s growing transportation and economic development needs.

The North Carolina business community widely recognizes the inextricable link between transportation and business. Transportation has vast financial impacts on our state’s companies, small and large – from their ability to manage inventory and cash flow, to business and location modeling, to supply chain performance. Additionally, employees, employers, school systems, emergency responders and others rely on a transportation system that flows well and allows them to reach their destinations quickly and safely. The North Carolina Chamber believes that transportation is business.

With this in mind, North Carolina must find comprehensive, long-term solutions to meet the increasing transportation and infrastructure needs with the projected population growth while addressing the current challenges. The North Carolina Chamber has created a transportation vision, called “2013 Bridge to a Stronger Future,” that looks at all aspects of our state’s transportation infrastructure and how to strengthen and prepare the system for future needs. To make North Carolina “the good transportation state,” there must be an intergovernmental transportation strategy that increases options for connectivity of major freight and commerce-related movement. An all-inclusive plan, as recommended in “2013 Bridge to a Stronger Future,” must encompass highway connectivity, integrated freight needs, maritime improvements and rail efficiencies into statewide planning.

Ultimately, if North Carolina wants to remain competitive, we need to get moving toward a future-focused strategy. Surrounding states are not waiting on North Carolina to finalize studies, recommendations or processes. Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia are all moving forward with their own transportation visions, adding even more pressure to North Carolina’s system. Additionally, if North Carolina fails to address both the short-term and long-term needs, gains made in other business areas will be undermined by the competitive disadvantage we face in transportation.

What is it going to take financially to make North Carolina’s infrastructure growth-ready? The 21st Century Transportation Committee, chaired by Blue Cross & Blue of Shield North Carolina CEO Brad Wilson in 2007, reported that North Carolina needs more than $65 billion in additional resources in order to meet current needs and to prepare all aspects of our transportation systems for 2030.

We realize that funding is the linchpin in this discussion. When looking towards the challenges on the horizon, we cannot address each transportation aspect in isolation but must take a holistic approach. This should include several organization enhancements that would, among other things, streamline regulations and increase overall transparency to ensure maximum efficiency of current funding. Additionally, a more comprehensive maintenance and construction revenue strategy should be implemented to ensure North Carolina is able to compete nationally and globally as “the good transportation state.”

As our state grows, the North Carolina Chamber is committed to working with state and federal policymakers, the business community and other stakeholders to meet today’s transportation needs and preparing for our future.

Lew Ebert is president and CEO of the North Carolina Chamber. He can be reached at lebert@ncchamber.net.